Method of controlling the running of reciprocating engines or turbines driving alternators in parallel.



No. 781,154. PATENTED JAN. 31, 1905.. G. A. PARSONS & J. SWINBURNE.

METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE RUNNING 0F REGIPROGATING ENGINBSOR TURBINES DRIVING ALTERNATORS IN PARALLEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.30,1903.

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I l 5 mnrrn L U U Ms wo aZzovcc No. 781,154. PATENTED JAN. 31, 1905. G. A. PARSONS & J. SWINBURNE.

METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE RUNNING OF REGIPROCATING ENGINES 0R TURBINES DRIVING ALTERNATORS IN PARALLEL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.30,1903.

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m JwMar ao PATENTED JAN-31, 1905. G. A. PARSONS & J. SWINBURNE. METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE RUNNING 0P REGIPROCATING ENGINES 0R i .4 .,1 Gi i APPLICATION FILED MAR.30, 1903.

TURBINES DRIVING ALTERNATORS IN PARALLEL.

AWE; J 24 No. 781,154. Patented January 31, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES ALGERNON PARSONS, OF NEWVOASTLE-UPON-TYNE, AND JAMES SVVINBURNE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND; SAID SIVINBURNE ASSIGNOR TO SAID PARSONS.

METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE RUNNING OF RECIPROCATING ENGINES OR TURBINES DRIVING ALIERNATORS IN PARALLEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 781,154, dated January 31, 1905.

Application filed March 30,1903. Serial No. 150,297.

TO who??? it ll 0077/0677" reciprocating engines, so as to reduce the in- Be it known that we, CHARLES ALGERNON terchange currents to a minimum. To carry PARSONS, residing at Heaton Works, Newcasthis into effect, puffing valves of known tle-uponTyne, in the county of Northumberconstruction are used for the control of the 5 land, and JAMES SWINBURNE, residing at 82 turbines, the pufling-valvesbeing operated Victoria street, London, S. \V.,England,subfrom a suitably-driven shaft in such a way jects of the King of Great Britain and he that they open and close simultaneously, while land, have invented a certain new and useful the regulation of the amount of steam passed Improved Method of Controlling the Running by each valve is also effected simultaneously, IO of Reciprocating Engines or Turbines Drivbut by means independent of those used for ingAlternators in Parallel, (for which we have securing the simultaneity of the puffs. If a made application for Letters Patent in Great reciprocating engine is used in conjunction Britain, No. 19,031, dated the 29th day of Auwith the turbines, then the shaft which drives gust, 1902,) of which the following is a specithe pufling-valves must be driven from a part 5 fication. of the reciprocating engine in such a way Thisinvention relates to animproved method that the maximum turning moments of the of controlling elastic fluid turbines either turbines and the reciprocating engine fall toalone or together with reciprocating engines gether. If a plurality of reciprocating enwhen driving alternators in parallel. gines is used, they must be arranged among 20 In alternators driven by turbines (to which themselves in the known manner described the working fluid is admitted in a series of above and the shaft which drives the puffingimpulses or puffs) and coupled in parallel difvalves must be driven from a suitable part of ficulty is experienced in practice owing to insome one of them. terchange currents between the individual Referring to the accompanying drawings, 7 5 generators due to non-synchronous variations Figure 1 is a plan showing two turbines conof velocity in the different turbines. This trolled in the manner described, Fig. 2 being difficulty is accentuated if turbines and rean elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a verticiprocating engines are used together for the cal section through the controlling-valve of driving of alternators in parallel. If recip- Figs. 1 and 2, while Figs. f and 5 show dia- 3 rocating engines are used alone, the difficulty grammatically, in plan and elevation, the can be overcome in a known manner by coupmethod of control when turbines and recipling each alternator direct to the engine drivrocating engines are used in the same instaling it in such a way that the same phase relation. lations between the engine-cranks and their In carrying the invention into effect accord- 8O 55 cooperating alternator elements are maining to one form each turbine A B is supplied tained constant in each set. If, then, such with a separate admission-valve contained in units are connected in parallel, their cranks a casinga and controlled by asecondary valve will pass simultaneously through the dead- 6, actuated by an eccentric c and levers (Z and points and the engines will develop their 0, all of the general type described in Parsonss 5 4 maximum turning moments together, the alpatent, No. 54:9,816. The admission-valve ternators then runningin phase with minimum in each turbine (see Fig. 3) is of the doubleinterchange currents. beat or other balanced type and is connected, The object of the invention is to provide an by means of a rod 7:, passing loosely through arrangement which renders it possible to a bush Z, to a piston m in a closed cylinder at. 45 drive alternators in parallel either by two or Steam enters the steam-chest 0 from the supmore turbines 'alone or in conjunction with ply-pipe and passes thence into the cylinder or below the piston in by way of the loose bush Z. The piston m is pressed down by means of a strong spring 1*, which tends to close the valve down onto its seat and to cut off the steam-supply from the engine. Asmall outlet-valve Z) controls the escape of steam from the cylinder a by way of the ports Z a, this valve 5 being actuated in the manner to be hereinafter described. When the valve Z) is closed, the steam entering the cylinder past the sleeve Z raises the piston m and opens the main valve 2'; but when the valve Z) is open the steam escapes through the ports 25a faster than it can enter past the bush Z, and the spring 0' consequently forces down the piston m, closing the main valve Z. For intermediate positions of the small valve 5 the main valve e' assumes corresponding position of partial opening. Instead of or in conjunction with the loose bush Z an adjustable tap may be used to control the steam entering the cylinder at.

The valve 6 of each turbine is given a slight reciprocating motion from an eccentric 0 on a shaft A by means of a lever (Z, pivoted at 0', and a lever a, connected at w to the end of the lever (Z and yieldingly pivoted at m. This reciprocating movement of the valve b causes a corresponding movement of the main valve 7', and consequently an intermittent admission of steam to each turbine consisting of a series of pufl's, the levers and eccentrics being so set that the puffs are simultaneous in the different turbines.

Each turbine is provided with a governing device consisting of a solenoid f, with a core 2, attached to the end of the lever c. The posi tion of the point :0, about which the lever a rocks, is determined by the current in the solenoidf, the resulting magnetic pull on the core 2 being balanced by a spring 3. This adjustment of the point :0 causes a corresponding alteration in the position of the valve Z) with regard to the eccentric c, varying the duration of each puff admitted to the turbine. A motor 9 is provided, which drives the shaft Z0, on which all the eccentrics 0 are mounted. The solenoidsf may be energized by the alternating current generated and are then preferably connected as a shunt across the terminals of their respective generators in the manner indicated in Fig. i. The solenoid-governor above described is shown by way of example; but any other known type, mechanical or electrical, may be used to control the volume of steam admitted at each puff so long as the governing is effected simultaneouslyin each turbine.

This invention may be applied to any turbine to which the elastic fluid is admitted in puffs or blasts, the essential featurebeing that the admission of the elastic fluid takes place simultaneously in all the turbines, while the governing is also effected simultaneously in all, but by independent means.

Figs. 4 and 5 show the invention applied to the case where turbines and reciprocating engines are used in a mixed installation. Thus the alternators Care shown connected in parallel to the bus-bars X Y, two of them being driven by turbines A B and two by reciprocating engines D E. The shaft 71., from which the pufling-valves are operated, is in this case driven from one of the reciprocating engines, D, instead of by themotor gas,for instance, by the chain 4; but any other form of gearing may be used which is adapted to transmit the required motion. The parts are so set that the opening of the pulling-valves and the development of the maximum turning mements of the reciprocating engine fall together as often as possible. Thus, for instance, two puffs might occur for every point of maximum turning moment, or vice versa, according to the exigencies of design.

If a plurality of reciprocating engines is used in conjunction with turbines, the cranks 5 of each engine must be set in the same delinite relation to the magnets 6 or other revolving parts of the alternators. The recip roeating engines will then develop their maximum turning moments simultaneously, owing to the electrical control effected by the alternators on each other.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination,a plurality of alternators in parallel, elastic-fluid turbines for driving part of said alternators, other motors for driving the balance of said alternators, means for admitting to said turbines pufls simultaneous with the maximum turning moments of the other alternator-driving motors, and governing means independent of the means employed for securing such simultaneity, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a plurality of alternators in parallel, elastic-fluid turbines for driving part of said alternators,reciprocating engines for driving the balance, means for admitting to each of said turbines puffs simultaneous with the maximum turning moments of the reciprocating engines, and governing means independent of the means employed for securing such simultaneity, substantially as de' scribed.

In combination, a plurality of alternators in parallel, elastic-fluid turbines for driving the same, means for admitting to the turbines simultaneous puffs of elastic fluid, independent means for regulating the duration of said pufls, substantially as described.

4. In combination,a plurality of alternators in parallel, elastic-fluid turbines for driving the same, means including a shaft for admitting to the turbines simultaneous pufis of elastic fluid, a motor other than said turbines for driving said shaft together with independ- In Witness whereof We have hereunto set our hands in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES ALGERNON PARSONS. JAMES SWINBURNE.

WVitnesses to the signature of the said Charles Algernon Parsons:

JOHN GEORGE NIOHOL, ANNIE STILL. WVitnesses to the signature of the said James Swinburne:

DOROTHY LOUGHNAN, BERTRAM H. MATTHEWS. 

